Map with area position indicator



Nov. 8, 1949 J. 0.,ELLIOTT 2,487,318

MAP WITH AREA POSITION INDICATOR Filed Oct. 50, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR (John O. Ell/off HIS ATTORNEY Nov. 8,1949 .1. O..ELLIOTT MAPWITH AREA POSITION INDICATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 30, 1945y////////// ///w///M////// saa- 40c LBOA $7? oc- I900 IQ O- Z 0 INVENTORJohn 0. Ell/07 BY 65% W Hi8 ATTORNEY NOV, 8, 1.949 J, 1 1 2,487,318

MAP WITH AREA POSITION INDICATOR Filed Oct. 50, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR. c/o/m O. Ell/I07? Hi5 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 8,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAP WITH AREA POSITION INDICATOR John 0.Elliott, San Francisco, Calif.

Application October 30, 1945, Serial No. 625,614

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a map or guide for indicating the location ofdesired points within selected areas.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a guide map in whichan area, within which. a selected point is located, maybe readily foundand dsplayed independently of other portions of the map.

Another object is to provide a map having coin controlled means forselectively illuminating limited areas of the map occupying positionslocatable with respect to the top, bottom and sides of the map.

Another object is to provide a map having means for selectivelyilluminating limited areas thereof and provided with selector means forcontrolling the illuminating means.

' Another object is to provide a map having an index on whichidentifiable locations are listed with respect to their respectivepositions in rows and columns of unitary areas extending from side toside and from top to bottom of the ma and also having means forselectively illuminating the areas and for indicating which area is tobe illuminated.

My invention possesses other objects and'fea-' I tures of value, some ofwhich with the foregoing will be set forth in the following descriptionof the invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself tothe showing made by the said description and the drawings as I may adoptvariant forms of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a map embodying my invention, portionsbeing broken away.

Figure 2 is a fragmental vertical sectional view of portions of thestructure shown in Figure 1, the plane in which the section is takenbeing indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of they Figure 8 is a similardiagram showing how a se- 2 vention comprises a plat showingidentifiable locations within prescribed boundaries of a city or othergeographical locality. The plat comprises a plurality of rows andcolumns of unitary areas each showing a limited portion of the plat andthe identifiable locations therein. Lighting elements positioned forseparately illuminating the unitary areas are energized through suitableselectors operable to selectively close a circuit through a selectedlighting element, independently of the other lighting elements, fordisplaying the unitary area in which a desired point is located.- Anindex of identifiable points, 10-

cated with respect to the positions of the various unitary areas in therows and columns, provides means for determining what area should beilluminated to display a desired location; and indicator lights areprovided for indicating a selected row and column. The selectors areoperated manually to effect electrical connection to the desired area ofthe plat; and coin operated means operate to control the supply ofcurrent to the illuminatin means. I

In terms of greater detail, the map of my invention comprises a plat lshowing locations within desired geographic boundaries, as for exampleall or a portion of a city. If desired, the plat may be drawn, printedor otherwise applied to glass or plastic material, which may be eithertransparent or translucent. Preferably the plat is printed upon a sheetof paper which is laid between inner and outer facing plates 2 of glassor plastic. If desired, the inner or backin plate may be omitted. Theplat is of a character such that it may be illuminated by lighttransmitted through the plat. The delineations of the plat are of acharacter such as to be readily seen and understood when illuminatedfrom in back of the map. In some cases it may be desirable to use linesand characters which will normally blend with or be masked by thesurface finish of the plat or the outer facing plate 2 thereof, butwhich will be thrown into sharp relief by light transmitted through themap from in back thereof.

The plat l with its glass covering 2 is mounted upon a suitable housing3, preferably in a substantially upright position at the back of asupporting base housing 4. Means for illuminating selected areas of themap are mounted within the housing 3 in back of the map I. Preferablysaid means comprises a plurality of lighting elements 6 mounted withincells 1 defined by partitions 8 and 9 intersecting at substantiallyright angles in back of the plat l. Each cell is of a size defining-aunitary map area ID of appropr iate size. The cells may be arranged inrows and columns extending from side to side and from top to bottomthroughout the area of the map, with each cell provided with a lightingelement for illuminating the overlying area of the map. Because of thelarge number of connections required in such an arrangement, I prefer anarrangement such as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings,wherein a single column of cells I is arranged to be moved to a positionin back of any selected column of the unitary areas ID of the map. Insuch an arrangement the individual cells of the column are aligned withthe rows of unitary areas extending from side to side of the map.

In the illustrated arrangement the cells I are joined to form a unitarycarrier I I for the lighting elements 6. A bearing block I2 secured tothe backing I I is mounted for sliding movement along a rod I3 extendingfrom end to end of the housing 3 about midway between the top and bottomof the map. The bearing block I2 is of a length suficient to preventbinding; and engagement of the carrier with the inner face of the plat Ior its inner facing plate 2 prevents rotation of the carrier about therod I3 as an axis. The carrier II is so mounted that the forward edgesof the partitions 8 and 9 will be only slightly spaced in back of themap so that light from the lighting elements 6 will be confined to theunitary areas I of the map immediately overlying the respectiveelements.

Each of the several lighting elements 6 in the cell of the carrier IIhas one terminal electrically connected to a common lead IT. A suitablecontactor I8, which may be a roller, brush, or other suitable movableconnector, is connected to the lead I! and arranged to engage any of aplurality of contacts I9 positioned to correspond to the several columnsof unitary areas I0 of the map and the positions of the carrier II andcells I in back thereof. When the contactor I8 is in engagement with anyof the contacts I9, a circuit may be closed through the lead I1 to anyof the lighting elements 6 upon the carrier.

The carrier II, with its cells I and lighting elements 6, is arranged tobe moved from side to side of the map by means of a lever 2| pivotedupon a pin 22 within the base 4 and slidably and pivotally connected tothe carrier II by means of a pin 23 engaging a slot 24 in the upper endof the lever. The lever 2| is oscillated by means of a connecting rod 26having one end pivotally connected to the lever 2| by a pin 21. Theother end of the rod 26 is pivotally connected by a pin 28 to a crank29, rotatable about an axis 3|.

As illustrated, the crank 29 is carried by a pulley wheel 32 journaledwithin the base 4. A belt 33 passes over the pulley 32 and a drivepulley 34 secured upon a shaft 36 journaled within the housing foractuating the crank. The shaft 36 extends outwardly from the base 4 andis provided with actuating means such as a knob 37 by which it may bemanually operated for moving the carrier II to a selected position inback of the plat I. When the carrier is moved to a position in back of adesired column of unitary areas l0 of the map, and with the contactor I8in engagement with the selected contact I9, an electrical connection iseffected through the conductor I! to one terminal of each cell lightingelement 6.

Connection to the other terminal of each cell lighting element 6 is madeby means of leads 4 4| soldered or otherwise connected to contacts 42engaged by the lighting elements 6.

The leads 4| are grouped to form a flexible cable 40 supported by andmovable with the actuating lever 2|. The leads 4| are separatelyconnected to corresponding contact buttons 43 secured upon a selectordisc 44 and arranged to be engaged by a selector arm 46 rotatablymounted upon the disc 44. The arm 46 is movable to engage any selectedcontact button 43 for effecting a connection through a lead 4| to thecorresponding .contact 42 and lighting element 6. The arm 46 iselectrically connected to a source of electrical energy by a lead 41 forsupplying energizing current to the lighting elements 6. The arm 46 isarranged to be actuated manually by a shaft 48 extending outwardlythrough the base 4 and provided with an actuating knob 49.

A set of indicator lights 5| is provided for indicating the position inwhich the carrier II is set with respect to the columns of areas I0 andthe contacts I9 corresponding thereto. Another set of indicator lights52 is provided for indicating the setting of the arm 46 and the lightingelement 6 of the carrier H which will be illuminated for a particularsetting of the arm. The number of lights 5| and 52 in the respectiveseries correspond respectively to the numbers of unitary areas in thecolumns and rows into which the map is divided for selectiveillumination.

For simplicity, in the wiring diagrams of Figures 7 and 8, only fourlights are shown in each series of indicator lights. The lights 5|,indicating position of the carrier II or vertical columns of unitaryareas I0 are designated I(i), II(i) III(i), and IV(i), to correspond tocontacts l9 related to map columns I(m), II(m), III(m) and IV(m). Thelights 52 are designated A(i). B(i), C(i) and D6) to correspond to maplights 6 which for clarity are designated A(m), B(m), C(m) and D(m)respectively. The map I may of course be divided into any desired numberof rows and columns of unitary areas for independent selectiveillumination and the number of lights 5| and 52 will conform to thenumber of columns and rows respectively. The electrical connections toadditional lights 6, 5| and 52 will correspond to those illustrated inFigures '7 and 8.

The indicator lights 52 are energized from a suitable source ofelectrical energy 53, such as a battery, or preferably the secondarywinding of a transformer designed to supply a six volt current. Currentto the lights 52 is supplied through contact buttons 54 engaged by thearm 46 and so positioned that when the arm 46 is moved to engage thecontact button 43 connected to a selected light 6, as for example thelight D(m) as shown in Figures '7 and 8, a circuit will be closedthrough the corresponding indicator light 52 designated D(i). Aconnection 56 connects the negative terminal of the battery ortransformer 53 to the arm 46; and connections 5! connect the buttons 54to the corresponding lights 52 which are all connected to the positivepole through a common connection 58.

The indicator lights 5| are energized by current supplied from a batteryor 6 volt transformer 59, alone or in series with a second battery or 6volt transformer 6|. For initially indicating the setting of the carrierII, the lights 5| are connected to the positive terminal of the batteryor transformer 59 through a connection 62 common. to all the lights.Connections 63 connect the lights to corresponding contacts l9.- Aconnection 64 connects the contactor l8 to a switch arm 66 normallypositioned to close a connection to the negative pole. of the battery ortransformer 59 through a connection 61. The light is energized whichcorresponds to the contact l9 engaged by the contactor for anyparticular setting of the carrier.

The map lighting elements 6 of the carrier II are energized selectivelyin accordance with the column setting of the carrier H and the rowsettin of the selector arm 46. The energizing circuit through theselected lighting element 6 is controlled independently. of theindicator light circuits, preferably by means of a coin controlledmechanism for closing the circuit for a limited period. One suchmechanism is illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 7 and 8 of thedrawings and comprises a relay H operating in connection with the switcharm 66. The relay H is operated by current from a battery or transformer12 through a circuit controlled by a switch 13. A suitable coin controlmechanism 14 is provided for closing the switch 13. Preferably a timedelay mechanism 16, which may be either mechanically or electricallyoperated to open the switch 13 after a predetermined time interval, isalso provided. When the switch 13 is closed, the relay H is energizedand causes the switch arm 66 to be moved to break the circuit throughthe connections 64 and 61, and to close a circuit through a connectionI1 connected to the negative terminal of the battery or transformer 6|and a lead 18 connected to the connection 56. The negative terminal ofthe battery or transformer 59 is connected to the positive terminal ofthe battery or transformer 6| by a lead 19.

While the switch arm 66 is in its normal position closing a connectionbetween the connections 64 and 61, movement of the contactor l8 intoengagement with any contact I9 will close a circuit through thecorresponding indicator light 5|, as indicated in heavy lines in Figure7. At such times, no current is directed through any of the lightingelements 6. v

When the switch arm 66 is moved to break the circuit between theconnections 64 and 61, and to close the circuit through the connections11 and 1B, the batteries or transformers 59 and 6| operate in series todirect current through the selected indicator light 5| and one of maplighting elements 6, as indicated in heavy lines in Figure 8. Thelighting elements 6 are selectively connected to the negative side ofthe current supply 59 and BI through the connections 4|, contact arm 46,and connections 56, 18 and 1-1; and are independently energized throughthe selected connection 4| engaged by the selector arm v46., From thearm 46, current fiows to the batteries 59 and 6! through theconnections.56,"'|8 and H. The indicator light 52 cor-' responding tothe selected map lighting element 6 is energized by current .from thebattery or transformer 53- as an independent circuit operatingconcurrently with the circuit through the selected indicator light :5!and map lighting element 6, as indicated in medium heavy lines in Figure8. After the'map lighting circuit has remained closed for apredetermined period of time, say about one minute, the time delaymechanism 16 opens the coin controlled relay switch 13 and the switcharm 66 is returned to its normal position. The specific structure ofnotmaterial to my present invention, and a detailed description of suchmechanisms 85 in the top of the base 4, to provide means forturning thedrum upon its bearings. A window 86, which may advantageously be made alens, is

provided in the top of the housing through which the index may beobserved.

The index is arranged in columns extending around the drum. Streets arelisted alphabetically; and, under each street name, groups of blockscorresponding to the unitary areas 10 of the map are listed by thenumbers indicated in the block. Buildings may be included by name,

or number, or both, at theappropriate places in the index; and otheridentifiable locations may be similarly indexed.

Associated with each item of, the index is provided a designation of theunitary area within which the indexed item is located. For example, theunitary areas I0 may be identified with respect to rows which extendfrom side to side of the map and columns which extend from top to bottomofthe map. The columns may be numbered consecutively from one side tothe other and the rows may be identified alphabetically. The position ofany unitary area may thus be indicated by a numeral which identifies thecolumn in which it is located, and by a letter indicating the row. Thesize of the drum, and the number and arrangement of index listings willof coursevary to meet the requirements of the locality shown in the map.

When it is desired to find a particular point on the map, the operatorturns the index drum 82 to display the desired portion of the indexthrough the window 86, so that the location of the point may beascertained with respect to the unitary area of the map in which it iscontained.- For ex ample, assuming the operator wishes to locate a pointin the 200 block on Anza Street, the index is turned to show AnzaStreet; and the row and column position of the 200 block is noted.

Assuming that the block is located in column III and row D, the selectorknob 31 is turned to move the carrier H to a position in back of columnIII of the map. As the carrier H is moved- 4 gagement with the contactbutton 54 corresponding to row D on the map. When this setting iseffected the indicator light 52 designated D(i) will be energized.

The selectors having been set to the desired positions, the ,switch 13is closed, whereupon the relay H shifts the switch arm 66 to theposition indicated in Figure 8 of the drawings. The circuit thus closedcauses the lighting element then positioned in back of the area D--IIIof the map to be illuminated and the desired location disthe coincontrol and time delay mechanisms is played.

--The map preferably has street car and bus lines, and desiredgeographic features plotted or suitably indicated so that the observercan ascertain desired information of that character relating. to aselected location. In this manner, persons unfamiliar with a mappedterritory may readily secure accurate information with regard to thelocation, surroundings and transportation facilities of any selectedplace within the bounds of the map.

I claim:

. 1. A map comprising a plat divided into a plurality of rows andcolumns of unitary areas each showing the location of identifiablepoints therein, an index designating by row and column the location ofthe identifiable points within the several unitary areas, a lightcarrier having cells corresponding to the unitary cells of a column,means for moving the cells into matching relation with a selectedcolumn, a column selector operable to supply current to the lightingelements when positioned in matching relation with a selected column, arow selector operable to supply current to the lighting element of thecarrier corresponding to a selected row, and independent- 1y operablemeans for controlling the supply of current through the selectors to asingle selected cell lighting element.

2. A map comprising a plat divided into a plurality of rows and columnsof unitary areas each showing the location of identifiable pointstherein, an index designating by row and colunm the location of theidentifiable points within the several unitary areas, a light carrierhaving cells corresponding to the unitary cells of a column, means formoving the cells into matching relation with a selected column, a columnselector operable to supply current to the ighting elements whenpositioned in matching relation with a selected column, a row selectoroperable to supply current to the lighting element of the carriercorresponding to a selected row, an indicator having lightscorresponding to the rows and columns, connections for energizingcorresponding indicator lights when the selectors are moved to effectconnection with a cell light in a selected position, and independentlyoperable means for controlling the supply of current through theselectors to the cell lighting elements while the selected indicatorlights remain energized.

3. In a map having means for selectivly illuminating limited areaspositioned in rows and columns extending from side to side and from-topto bottom of the map, an indicator having a row of lights correspondingto the rows of such areas, a second row of lights corresponding tocolumns of such areas, means for energizing the light in each row ofindicator lights correspondin to the area of the map selected forillumination, and means for independently illuminating the areacorresponding to the energized indicator lights.

4. In a map having means for selectively illuminating limited areaspositioned in rows and columns extending from side to side and from topto bottom of the map, an indicator comprising a set of lightscorresponding respectively to the rows of areas, a second set of lightscorresponding respectively to the columns of areas, selector means foreifectin an electric connection to the illuminating means for the areacommon to a selected row and column, and connec-' tlo'ns controlled byselector means for energizing the indicator lights corresponding to theselected row and column while the circuit to the illuminating means isbroken at a point between the selector means and the illuminating means.5. In a map having means for selectively illuminating limited areaspositioned in rows and columns extending from side to side and from topto bottom of the map, an indicator comprising a set of lightscorresponding respectively to the rows of areas, a second set of lightscorresponding respectively to the columns of areas, selector means foreffecting an electric'connectlon to the illuminating means for the areacommon to a selected row and column, connections controlled by selectormeans for energizing the indicator lights corresponding to the selectedrow and column while the circuit to the illuminating means is broken ata point between the selector means and the illuminating means, andindependently operable means for closing the circuit to the illuminatingmeans while the selected indicator lights remain energized.

6. A ma comprising a plat of light transmitting mal -ial showinglocations identifiable with respect to limited areas arranged in rowsand columns extending respectively from side to side and from top tobottom of the map, a series of light cells corresponding to a column ofthe map areas, means for moving the light cells to a position in back ofa selected column of areas, lighting elements positioned in the cells,and selector means for closing a circuit through a selected lightinelement of the series when the series is in a selected position in backof the map.

7. In a map having means for selectively illuminating limited areaspositioned in rows and columns extending from side to side and from topto bottom of the map, selector means for controlling the fiow of currentto the illuminating means comprising a carrier mounted for movement fromside to side of the map in parallel relation to the columns of areas,partitions dividing the carrier into cells corresponding to the rows ofareas, lighting elements in the cells, a set of contacts positioned forengagement by the carrier when the carrier is moved into alignment withcorrespondin columns of areas, a second set of contacts-connected forcontrolling the flow of current to the lighting elements, and meansoperable in connection with said second set of contacts for selectivelyenergizing the lighting element corresponding to a selected row.

JOHN O. ELLIOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

